U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered the removal of the Calibri font from State Department communications, replacing it with Times New Roman. The directive, revealed in a leaked memo obtained by the New York Times, aligns with the Trump administration’s broader rollback of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI) programs.
Calibri, a sans-serif font adopted in 2023 during President Joe Biden’s administration, was selected by the agency under the guidance of its then-DEI office. The font was intended to improve accessibility, particularly for individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties. According to experts, sans-serif fonts typically feature wider spacing and cleaner lines, which can aid readability. However, researchers have not reached a consensus on whether serifs—decorative lines at the ends of letters—significantly hinder or enhance legibility.
In the memo, Rubio stated the decision was meant to “restore decorum and professionalism” to diplomatic communications. He acknowledged that Calibri was not the “most illegal, immoral, radical or wasteful” example of DEI, but nonetheless criticized the font for contributing to “the degradation” of official correspondence.
The DEI office responsible for Calibri’s selection was later disbanded as part of the administration’s anti-DEI initiatives. Rubio’s move has sparked discussion within the State Department, where the font’s original adoption reportedly stirred debate.
“Font choices inspire the same kind of love/hate passions as sports teams,” TechCrunch reported. While some have strong stylistic preferences, others see deeper cultural or political significance in typography choices.
The State Department did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
